Last spring, the school committee issued a request for proposal, receiving proposals from 10 vendors, the article stated.

According to the article, the district can save more than $200,000 by outsourcing custodial services.

"We notified the custodial union and invited the union to meet with the school committee if they desired. The union and the committee met four times, during which the union had the opportunity to provide proposals to for a competitive level of cost savings to the school department," said School Committee Vice Chairman Nick DeSilvio.

The school committee rejected the union''s "final and best offer," the article noted.